Nevada County picayune., 1887-01-05
SLABTOWN.
[Sunny South 1

the door too, with q bang, as looked from the window for the town with this peculiar prefG.
 The summers trip wasa tangent from the old beaten "ways' l had tras ersed so often. Everything was novel and interesting even the queer names of the small sta tions IL was still August after noon he stiffness that presages a storm, apd the black clouds were already gathering in the West. Looking out l only observed this and the huge sign across country road painted in glaring white let ters: "When you Hear the Belle, lookout for the Cares" l could not repress smile at the bad or biography and wisdom displayed in that old time mode of warning. "The Belle," 1 said, audibly, as the door opened again and admil : ted a tall, graceful woman closely yelled. Something i'll her carriage and manner attracted my attention and tickled my fancy wonderfully. Dozens of pretty. sparkling girls got of and on the cars every day, and l remember once to have read ''Yolande" under the fire of pair of saucy grey eyes without the slightest perturbation, but here was q woman whose face 1 had not seen, SD absorbing my thoughts and nuobtrusivo attention that l felt positively silly. 1 studied the back of her white neck half envel- oped in that enviable veil until l was wild with curiosity.
 She had tawny golden hair, with just crinkle here and there, be- hind her small ears; well-p0ised head on broad, sbapely shoulders.
 The air was growing more and more stihing, and the black clouds more olninouS. The veil was sud. denly unloosed, as if by magic, as she turned to raise the window. l only caught 8 glimpse of the fair tprotile white as marble aud clear cut as cameo.
 Let me say before l go furthur with this story, that was an old not very old-bachelor, and my heart, so the girls said, was like odamaut. don't think l had ever been in love because my life had been absorbed m amasSing for tune. and when mau is welded to that one object before be get a wife he rarely marries after he has gotten the fortune So in jus lice to myself, let me say that of all the handsome females that 1 have had the fcli rity to be thrown with, none attracted more than d passing glance at first, except this quiet, pretty girl, occupying the seat m front of me, AIS we sped ou the wings of the wind from "Slab- ,owil,n for the dreaded storm was now nearly upon us and we were racing for life to cross the "higb ;restle' before it reached us.
 Do you think we can make itW heard the conductor say to the hrakesman; and the reply came cheerily, "I guess we can skip the trestle, at this rate, before the worst comes on us.'
 We were going at fearful speed aud down grade, the wii,d gather. ing force at every turn, and the an cry clouds throwing a shadow al- most as dark as night. l felt a flight touch on my arm, and looking up. met pair of earnest brown eyes.
 "lsn't there danger?" she said, in what thought was the sweet est voice l ever heard. may have heard sweeter, but an angel could not have made me believe it then. II there was danger it had no alarm for me, and l could not find lit in my heart to alarm her. So l asSured her, with superior air of knowledge, that we were perfectly safe. The next moment there came fearful crash and l knew no m ore. One morning l opened my eyes to consciousness in such a queer little room. l tried to rise, but fell back faint and sick. Where am F" thought; but my brain seemed dazed And lying there l watched the shadows from the hickering fire play over the lag carpet and up the bare walls. l had not seen @ rag carpet since ! I HoS g little boy living with mY